EUGENE, Ore. — Less than a week after a Florida jury found George Zimmerman not guilty of murdering 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, a group in Eugene is protesting the verdict.

On Thursday night, protesters at the University of Oregon’s EMU Amphitheater plan to show solidarity with others around the country who have spoken out against Zimmerman’s controversial acquittal. Demonstrators say that even though it’s been five days since the trial ended, there is still reason to protest.

“This is still a fresh event and the conversation about the verdict of the trial will never become old,” says Olivia Manwarren of the University of Oregon Black Student Union. “Five days, one year, we still believe this is a relevant topic.”

Leaders of the rally say this issue is about race and that if Trayvon hadn’t been a young black boy, the case would have unfolded differently.

The rally begins at 7 p.m. and the Black Student Union will be joined by the Native American Student Union and other civil rights groups.

David Nelson says:

Two teen boys in this coastal city were charged with murder Friday, accused in the fatal shooting of a 13-month-old boy who was in a stroller being pushed by his mother.

Aided by a description and a check of school attendance records to determine who was not in classes Thursday, officers searched for the young suspects and took them into custody, police said.

The mother told reporters the shooting occurred when one youth demanded money.

Police expressed confidence they would find the weapon, believed to be a handgun.

Spokesman Todd Rhodes, who described the shooting as “horrific,” told CNN’s “The Situation Room” on Friday evening that search warrants were being executed in three locations.

Chief Tobe Green identified the older suspect as De’Marquise Elkins, 17, and said he will be treated as an adult in criminal proceedings. The 14-year-old was not identified because of his age. Both have been charged with first-degree murder, police said.

“We are turning every stone to get a motive,” said Green.

Police said they received a suspect description from Sherry West, the baby’s mother.

No other suspects are being sought, according to Rhodes.

Authorities were tight-lipped about the investigation, which was aided by helicopters and police dogs.

West earlier told reporters that the incident occurred at 9 a.m. Thursday as she was walking home from the post office, pushing her son, Antonio, in a stroller. She said she saw two boys.

“A boy approached me and told me he wanted my money, and I told him I didn’t have any money. And he said, ‘Give me your money or I’m going to kill you and I’m going to shoot your baby and kill your baby,’ and I said, ‘I don’t have any money,’ and ‘Don’t kill my baby.'”

The boy tried to grab her purse and opened fire when she said tried to tell him she had no money, West said, with the shot grazing her head. She said the boy then shot her in the leg.

West continued, “And then, all of a sudden, he walked over and he shot my baby in the face.”

West said she tried to perform CPR on her son and that the police took over when they arrived, but to no avail. “We lost him,” she said.

During the incident, the smaller of the two boys was hiding behind the larger one, she said. “I don’t know whether it was his brother or a friend.”

Police said suspect De\’Marquise Elkins will be treated as an adult in criminal proceedings.

Police said suspect De’Marquise Elkins will be treated as an adult in criminal proceedings.

West had said she hopes the boys will receive the maximum sentence possible. “If they can use a gun like an adult, then they can be charged like an adult,” she said. “I want to see lethal injection or at least life in prison. This child did nothing to him. He was innocent and helpless.”

Police offered a $10,000 reward for information and have received more than 30 leads. They were still following them Friday afternoon.

Though no one has reported seeing the shooting, several people called 911 after hearing it, Rhodes said.

Rhodes said crime is not common in the residential neighborhood where West said her child was shot. “It’s a nice area, it’s a clean area, it’s an area where law-abiding citizens not only live, they also work and play.

“Much like every other city in these United States, from time to time we will have a glitch. Unfortunately, this happened here in Brunswick, Georgia.”

The city’s website describes Brunswick, with a population of about 15,000, as “one of the most unique, historic and visually stunning places in the world.” It boasts 19th century Victorian-style homes, century-old oaks and magnolia tree-lined streets

Thats right its a white Baby Killed so who cares.

ahshucks says:

There is no outrage for a white baby or a white person. What we have is a bunch of Blacks that we said they have rights. Every since they have cried racism when ever they feel they have been wronged. Just “F”in bunch of 3rd world thugs. Let me say not all blacks are that way. But the few Like Obama, his wife, Holder, Sharpton and Jackson has gave them that label. Blacks commit most homicides in the U.S. . Only 39% of black graduate from high school in urban cities. Young black women have more unwed babies to get more government aid. With only 40 million blacks 12% of the population they get 40% of welfare benefits budget. Yet they do most of the whining of anyone in the United States. When is the white people going to wake up about the crap they pull.

David Nelson says:

Ron says:

You won’t recognize me, My name was Antonio West and I was the 13-month old child who was shot at point blank range by two teens who were attempting to rob my mother, who was also shot. A Grand Jury of my Mommy’s peers from Brunswick, GA., determined the teens who murdered me will not face the death penalty. Too bad I was given a death sentence for being innocent and defenseless.

My family made the mistake of being white in a 73% non-white neighborhood, but my murder was not ruled a Hate Crime. Nor did President Obama take so much as a single moment to acknowledge my murder.

I am one of the youngest murder victims in our great Nation’s history, but the media doesn’t care to cover the story of my tragic demise, President Obama has no children who could possibly look like me, so he doesn’t care and the media doesn’t care because my story is not interesting enough to bring them ratings so they can sell commercial time slots.

There is not a white equivalent of Al Sharpton Or Jesse Jackson, because if there was, he would be declared racist. So there is no one rushing to Brunswick GA to demand justice for me. There is no White Panther party to put a bounty on the lives of those who murdered me. I have no voice, I have no representation, and unlike those who shot me in the face, while I sat innocently in my stroller – I no longer have my life.

So while you are seeking justice for Treyvon, please remember to seek justice for me too. Tell your friends about me, tell you families, get tee shirts with my face on them and make the world pay attention, just like you did for Treyvon.

hightide6096 says:

So this justice,they get to kill us any time,any place, with no explanation why. All you need to do is point a package of skittles at them and you are dead with a bullet impacted in you. The truth is,we all know Zimmerman is a cold blooded killer but a lot of us refuse to look within to the truth. We would rather allow a strange justice system that protects police brutality only and not you. They have gotten this far as of now on what they are aloud to do but they will kill any one that they fill needs to be dealt with. It doesn’t matter if you are a homeless person on the street, A kid riding there bike to the store, Some one walking and minding there own business some where or just any thing they deemed as not looking right,they will “KILL YOU”!

David Nelson says:

ahshucks says:

Well it’s obvious you did not watch the trial. First it was not about race or stand your ground. It was about self defense. Zimmerman is not a cold blooded killer. He was found not guilty. If you can’t handle the decision then that is your problem. If you think if you don’t look right to a white person they will kill you, you should be dead by now. Get over your cry baby racism thoughts and be a productive person.